U.S. Patent application entitled xe2x80x9cAutomatic Penta-fold Umbrellaxe2x80x9d filed by the same inventors of this application on Dec. 15, 1998 with a Ser. No. of: 09/215,635 disclosed an automatic umbrella having penta-fold central shaft (1) consisting of five tubes (11, 13, 13a, 13b, 14) and penta-fold rib assembly (2) for obtaining a shortened length of the shaft (1) when folded.
However, it still has a large diameter for the folded tubes of the shaft (1) when closing and folding the umbrella of the prior application due to the total thickness summed up by the five tubes (11, 13, 13a, 13b, 14) of the shaft (1). It is therefore difficult to make a xe2x80x9cslimxe2x80x9d umbrella after being folded.
The present inventors have found that a penta-fold rope mechanism may be provided for forming a slim automatic umbrella having quadruple-fold central shaft in accordance with the present invention.
The object of the present invention is to provide a multiple-fold automatic umbrella including a penta-fold rope having its inner rope end secured with a locking head locked in a grip of a central shaft and defining a first rope section of the penta-fold rope from the locking head through an interior of the shaft to an upper guiding roller rotatably mounted in an upper portion of the shaft; a second rope section of the penta-fold rope from the upper guiding roller to a first lower guiding roller rotatably mounted on a lower runner slidably held in the shaft; a third rope section of the rope from the first lower guiding roller towards at least an uppermost guiding roller rotatably mounted in a top portion of the shaft; a fourth rope section from the uppermost guiding roller towards a second lower guiding roller rotatably mounted on the lower runner opposite to the first guiding roller; and a fifth rope section from the second lower guiding roller towards an outer rope end secured to an upper notch formed on the top of the shaft, thereby providing a rope dynamically balanced on opposite sides of the shaft for enhancing a smooth opening and closing operation of the umbrella.